ANATOLE KITAIN The Complete Columbia Recordings 1936-1939
2CDs
COMPACT DISC 1 (69.51)
1. SCHUMANN Toccata in C Op 7
2. BRAHMS Ballade in D minor Op 10/1
3. BRAHMS Waltzes Op 39
19. SCRIABIN Étude in C sharp minor Op 2/1
20. SCRIABIN Prélude in A minor Op 11/2
21. SCRIABIN Mazurka in E minor Op 25/3
22. RACHMANINOV Élégie in E flat minor Op 3/1
23. RACHMANINOV Étude-tableau in F minor Op 33/1
24. RACHMANINOV Prelude in G sharp minor Op 32/12
25. STRAUSS/GODOWSKY Die Fledermaus
26. RIMSKY-KORSAKOV/STRIMER The Flight of the Bumble-Bee
ANATOLE KITAIN (1903-1980) was an exact contemporary and fellow pupil of Vladimir Horowitz in Kiev, where he studied, as did the slightly older Simon Barere, with Felix Blumenfeld. All three developed fabulous techniques and were romantic pianists in the grand manner, and each fled Russia after the Revolution to make their way in the West. That Kitain is the least known can only be put down to misfortune as these pre-War European recordings attest to a pianist of fabulous talent. Sadly he failed to 'make it' after his Wartime emigration to the USA and slowly faded from view, giving his last New York concert in1963.
CRITIC'S CHOICE (American Record Guide 1996)
'I would put this important release into my "Top Fifty All-time Great Piano Recordings", without a doubt' (Classic CD)
APR6017